


Meant to Be

by NeuroWriter14



Series: NW14 Does Halloween [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Do not repost, M/M, the nightmare before christmas au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26823496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeuroWriter14/pseuds/NeuroWriter14
Summary: Harry falls in love with Tom, the Pumpkin King.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Series: NW14 Does Halloween [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946689
Comments: 9
Kudos: 161





	Meant to Be

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FlyingLizards](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlyingLizards/gifts).



> For [Moni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlyingLizards/pseuds/FlyingLizards)

Harry stood staring at the graveyard, reflecting over the last two months he had experienced. 

He had been brought to life only a few weeks prior by Voldemort, the local mad scientist with a penchant for lightning and a desire for a companion. But Harry hadn't wanted to be his companion. He longed to be free, to see the world without the scientist looming over him. More than anything though, he desired to see the ruler of the land they lived in. Unlike most residents here in Halloween Town, Harry was the only one created. The rest had just appeared over the years, as the minds of humans evolved on their ideas for horror. All kinds of beings occupied the down, everything from vampires to witches to werewolves to combinations of earthly creatures that would frighten those on earth. They were ruled all by one man, Tom Riddle, the Pumpkin King. 

Harry had only seen Tom in passing glances after he was brought to life, but immediately, he fell in love. It was partially because, every time he saw the Pumpkin King, he looked incredibly sad and lonely. And Harry wanted nothing more than to reassure him that he was in fact loved. But the people of the town smothered him, placing all their hopes and dreams on him. It must become lonely, Harry thought, sitting high on a pedestal that was raised to and didn't want. 

Harry had taken his chance on Halloween, after learning he could in fact poison his maker, to see the Pumpkin King. He was in awe of the man, all long limbs and incredible charisma that drew Harry's eyes directly to him. But even under his wicked smile, all sharp teeth, Harry saw the melancholy the other was experiencing. Tom was immediately accosted by the mayor, a man named Lucius Malfoy who had two faces, one cheerful and the other distraught. Tom managed to make his way away from the crowd, as awards were handed out by the major to the town's folk. Harry could hear the chatter behind him, but he was focused completely on the slumped form of Tom in front of him. 

He followed him, only to be caught by his creator once more. 

"Let me go," Harry demanded. 

"You're not ready," Voldemort answered, his grip on Harry's stitched together arm like a vice. "Come back home." He tried to coax. 

"No." He persisted, undoing the stitched as his shoulder and slipping away while the other was thrown by the inertia of his lack of resistance.

Harry managed to slip away, one-armed and feeling incredibly free. Tom had gone to the graveyard, trailed by a bone-white snake who Tom called Nagini. Harry watched him in the distance, mindful to keep his space as he watched the only being who had managed to enchant him in his short life. He knew he had been brought to live for Voldemort, but more than anything, he felt like he was alive for another. Tom's voice when he was around others was always loud and boisterous. He claimed the space with voice alone. But now, it was low and sad and it made Harry's still heart ache. He longed to go to him, to pick up the pieces of whatever might pass for Tom's heart and put them together as he had been placed together. 

He returned home rather reluctantly, still missing his arm. 

Voldemort sewed him back together, chastising him the whole time. 

"You're mine, you know!" He hissed. "I made you!"

Harry listened silently until Voldemort was done all the while, forming a plan to leave once more. He had what he wanted, he was whole once more. And now there was someone else he wanted to make whole. 

His opportunity came rather quickly as he was given the chance once more to poison his creator and slip away.

For a day, Tom was missing. For a day, no one had seen him. Harry might have been the last, having seen him in the graveyard. But he had never returned. The whole town attempted to find him but Harry, rather reluctantly stayed out of it. His creator would awaken again, and he couldn't risk being caught out in the open. 

When Tom returned, his mood seemed renewed. Gone was the sag in his shoulders. Gone was the melancholy that filtered into his walk. He described with excitement another land that he had encountered with an object called snow and colors called red —rather than the black and orange they were accustomed to. But Harry had a terrible sinking feeling in his gut the more Tom went on and on about this new town, Christmas Town, with its leader Sandy Claws.

He was thinking about the worry in his gut when he collided with another body. For a terrible moment, Harry thought it was his maker, but instead, it was Tom himself.

"I-I'm so sorry. Forgive me," He went to drop to his knees in supplication, but Tom stopped him, hauling him upward from his half kneel.

"No, please." He kept his grip on Harry's arms as he looked at him. His eyes, what could pass for them anyway, were dark and somehow incredibly focused. Tom's voice was breathless as he spoke and Harry felt as though he were bathing in something unfamiliar, but incredibly addictive. "I should apologize."

"Please don't," Harry answered. 

"So neither of us are to apologize then?" Tom asked, a smile pulling at thin lips. 

"It was an accident caused by being lost in thought," Harry answered. "Certainly that's not something worth apologizing for." 

Tom dipped his head slightly, chuckling to himself. "I don't believe we've met."

"Harry," He said quickly. "My name's Harry."

"Pleasure." He finally let him go. "Harry."

Over the next month, their town was incredibly busy with preparations for Christmas. Tom had decided that this year, they would be in charge of the holiday, rather than the inhabitants of Christmas Town, and the sinking feeling in Harry's gut grew worse and worse by the second. He did as Tom asked though, unable to tell him no. Over the course of the two months, Tom called him to his side more and more, asking his help for the preparations.

Harry had tried to protest, stating that it was the major's job, but Tom insisted. Even when Voldemort appeared once more, intent on claiming Harry once again for his own, Tom had insisted that Harry stay at his side. Not even Voldemort could overrule the Pumpkin King, and his creator went on his way, mumbling about creations and intent on making a new one.

The time Harry spent at Tom's side was the best experience he had ever had, even though his life was incredibly short in nature. Part of him feared that, like Halloween, Tom would become bored with him. But he was content to give the other what he wanted for as long as he would tolerate him.

Days came and went as the town prepared for Christmas. Harry tried to warn Tom about the sinking feeling in his gut, but Tom brushed off his worries. 

When Christmas finally came, Tom prepared himself in the mirror, straightening the red suit Harry had made for him. 

"How do I look?" The asked, spinning for Harry to see.

Harry wanted to tell him something that would dissuade him, something that would keep him from going. Something that would make him send the man named Sandy Claws instead, but when Tom looked at him and he opened his mouth, he found he didn't have the heart to say it.

"Perfect," He breathed. "You look perfect."

Tom clasped Harry's hands and brought them to his lips. "Wish me luck."

Everything had gone south after Tom left and Harry spent a horrible two hours thinking Tom was dead. In that time, he had attempted to free Sandy Claws, but had only found himself trapped in turn. For a terrible, horrible moment he thought he would die and some part of him was all right with that. He hadn't lived much of a life, but already he was certain he couldn't live a life that didn't have Tom in it. 

Harry was staring down at molten lava, Sandy Claws at his side, and thinking that this was the end. 

He would see Tom again soon enough. 

That much had been true. 

Tom did appear, alive and well.

Soon, Christmas was back as it should be and Tom was filled with the same vigor he had for Christmas, but this time for Halloween.

It appeared, he no longer needed Harry at his side anymore. Harry's creator had continued making creations, making another he called Bellatrix for his companion. Harry felt as though he didn't belong anywhere and once more, he had returned to the graveyard where he thought he had found his purpose the first time.

Harry stared at nothing in particular, feeling snow fall on him. He understood what snow was now, but it meant nothing to him. Nothing meant anything to him now. He settled himself in the graveyard. Perhaps after a year of life, he could find something to do with himself. Perhaps come next Halloween he could be useful, find someplace for himself in the world. Maybe, he could find a purpose. 

"There you are," A voice said quietly, coming up behind him. Harry turned slightly, seeing Tom fold himself behind him.

The other pulled him into his arms, pressing them tightly together. 

"I thought you weren't coming home." Tom pressed a kiss against his neck.

"You still want me?"

The other pulled back slightly, using long fingers to turn Harry's head just so. "My dear," He purred. "There's no place I'd rather have you than with me. No one I'd rather have at my side than you." He tilted Harry's head upward. 

Harry leaned forward, pressing a kiss against the other's lips. Tom pulled him closer, their bodies folding as Harry turned to face him fully. The other pulled him upward, drawing to his full height before bending slightly to pull Harry into another kiss.

"Don't you see, my love?" Tom asked quietly. "We're meant to be."

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [Tumblr](https://neurowriter14.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/NWriter14)


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